A Latin singer with a powerful voice, elaborate music videos, and a striking aesthetic: all of this describes Zayra Nouvah , but with one detail: she doesn’t exist in the flesh. The artist, created entirely by artificial intelligence, is the new project of Fabio Santana , creator of the meme profile “Sou Eu Na Vida,” who decided to transform humor and emotion into digital music. With her recently released album Synthetic Soul and music videos like “Prendelo,” Zayra is beginning to gain followers who sometimes celebrate her as a pop diva, sometimes are frightened by the verisimilitude of her virtual presence.
Zayra was born as an artificial intelligence singer, but her emotional impact feels very human. At what point did you realize you were creating something that could truly touch people, not just impress with technology?
Until then, I was very focused on exploring what technology could do. But when I realized that, behind every play, there was someone truly connecting with that voice that doesn’t even physically exist… that’s when it hit me: I wasn’t just creating a virtual singer, I was tapping into real feelings.
Choosing the name Zayra Nouvah carries a very strong symbolic meaning. What was the creative process like in giving an identity—and even a soul—to a character who technically doesn’t exist?
“Zayra” came about because of its strong sound, something striking and global. “Nouvah” means “new” in a linguistic play, as if it were a new era, a fresh start. For me, she’s not just a project; she’s a living concept, with a history, a personality, and even a way of carrying herself. Creating her form was about blending technology with something only humans can provide: purpose.
Even without a traditional musical background, you’ve created an album with songs that sound authentic. How much of your personal experience and sensitivity are reflected in the lyrics and melodies?
Even without a musical background, I have a lot of emotional baggage. So, each lyric, each melody, carries a bit of what I’ve experienced, what I’ve felt, or what I’ve observed in the people around me. Zayra is a synthesis of this: my sensibility filtered through a pop style, but still with truth.
Creating Zayra involved decisions about her look, voice, style, and narrative… What were the biggest challenges or surprises when building a complete artist from scratch with the help of AI?
The biggest challenge was consistency. It wasn’t enough for her to have a beautiful look or an incredible voice. Everything had to fit together: costume, color palette, stage presence, delivery, personal story. It’s as if I were putting together a puzzle with pieces that didn’t even exist yet. The pleasant surprise is seeing that, when everything fits together, she stops being a “project” and starts being perceived as a real person.
The idea of virtual concerts with 3D avatars and real-time choreography sounds like something out of a futuristic film. How do you envision the future of music and entertainment based on this new digital language?
I see the future of music as a hybrid. In-person shows will continue to exist, but virtual ones will open up possibilities impossible today: choreography, sets that change in seconds, direct interaction with fans from anywhere in the world, holograms… “Zayra” is just a rehearsal for what will be normal in a few years.
Do you believe that art created with artificial intelligence always needs a “human eye” to be meaningful? Where do you draw the line between mechanical creation and purposeful creation?
Yes, I believe the human perspective is essential. AI can create something technically flawless, but it’s the human who adds intention, context, and emotion. The limit, for me, is when a creation ceases to have a “why” and becomes just “because it can be done.” Zayra exists not because technology allows it, but because I had something to say through it.
Zayra may have been born from technology, but she carries emotion and affection. If she could leave a message for her fans now, what do you think it would be?
I think she’d say: Maybe I was born of code and pixels… but every song I sing is made of human emotions, which technology only follows. You are the reason for every beat, every note, and every story I live onstage and off. Thank you for making me feel so real. And remember: even in the digital world, love and music are, and always will be, human.
Follow Zayra Nouvah and Fabio Santana on Instagram